Rail fastening device



Aug. 11, 1953 e. s. VICKROY 2,648,500

RAIL FASTENING DEVICE Filed Sept. 1, 1950.

SI? 4 6 Q mx INVENTOR GEORGE S.VICKROY ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 11, 1953 RAIL FASTENING DEVICE George S. Vickroy, Johnstown, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application September 1, 1950, Serial No. 182,753

2 Claims. (01. 238-349) This invention relates to a rail fastening device and more particularly to a rail fastening device having a spring clip and a wedge for holding the clip in position. Wedges have been used in conjunction with clips prior to my invention but have not been satisfactory for various reasons. They may be difficult to insert or remove and in some instances they tend to work out of position due to the vibration of the rail.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a rail fastening device utilizing a wedge for holding a spring clip in position in which the wedge is locked in place.

This and other objects will be more apparent af-ter referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of the device in position on a rail; and

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line IIII of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a tie plate which is mounted on the tie in the usual manner and which is provided with the usual rail seating portion 4 for receiving the flange 6 of a rail. An inverted Ushaped member 8 is welded to the base plate 2 on each side of the rail between the seat portion and the edge of the plate. A spring clip I passes through opening I2 in the U-shaped member 8 with one end bearing on the tie plate 2 and the other end bearing on the top surface M of the rail base. The upper surface of the spring clip Iii is longitudinally convex and is provided with a portion It in the opening I2 which is arranged at a steeper angle than the top surface I4 of the rail base. A locking key I8 is provided in the opening I2 between the clip IE3 and the underside of the U-shaped member 8. The locking key I8 has an upwardly extending lug 22 on the end thereof adjacent the rail, which lug prevents outward movement of the key. The locking key I8 has a bearing face 24 on its lower surface which engages surface I 6 of the spring clip Ill. The key I8 has a substantially flat portion 26 which engages the underside 20 of the U-shaped member and has a cut-out portion 28 on the outer end of the key.

In assembling the device the spring clip I0 is first placed in position in the opening I2. The Wedge I8 is then inserted from the outside of the inverted U-shaped member 8 with the lug 22 being sprung into locking position by the clip Ill after it passes member 8. Due to the radius bend in the spring clip being approximately underneath the edge of the inverted U-shaped member 8, the

deflection of the spring clip In is minimized by the insertion of the locking key. Engagement of the lug 22 with the side of the U-shaped member 8 prevents outward movement of the key. The compression in the spring clip In forces the key l8 upwardly, thus locking the spring clip II] in the position shown. Engagement of the surfaces I6 and 24 prevent outward movement of the clip I0 and also prevents inward movement of the key I8. When it is desired to remove the key I8, the outer end is raised upwardly with a bar or other device and then knocked outwardly. The cut-out portion 28 facilitates this upward movement of the key I 8.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A rail fastening device comprising a tie plate having a seat portion for the base of the rail, a member secured to said tie plate at a point intermediate the seat portion and the edge of the plate, said member having an opening therethrough with the top surface thereof being spaced from the top of said tie plate, an elongated spring clip extending through said opening with one end of said clip bearing against the top of the rail flange and the other end bearing against the top of the tie plate, the upper surface of said clip being longitudinally convex, a portion of said clip in said opening being arranged at a steeper angle than the top surface of the flange of the rail, a bend in said clip within said opening, and a locking key in said opening between said clip and said top surface, said locking key having a portion on its upper surface engaging said member to prevent outward movement of the key away from said rail, and a shoulder on its lower surface engaging the bend in said spring clip to prevent outward movement thereof.

2. A rail fastening device comprising a tie plate having a seat portion for the base of the rail, an inverted substantially U-shaped member secured to said tie plate at a point intermediate the seat portion and the edge of the plate, an elongated springclip extending through said inverted U- shaped member with one end of said clip bearing against the top of the rail flange and the other end bearing against the top of the tie plate, the upper surface of said clip being longitudinally convex, a portion of said clip passing through said U- shaped member being arranged at a steeper angle than the top surface of the flange of the rail, a

2,648,500 3 4 locking key between said clip and the underside on the end of said key opposite said lug and beof said U-shaped member, an upwardly extending neath the underside of said U-shaped member to lug on the side of said ikey adjacent the rail for permit downward movement of said lug.

engaging the side of said member to prevent GEORGE S. VICKROY. outward movement of the key away from said rail, 5

aid locking key having a portion o lower References in the file 0f patent surface engaging the spring clip to prevent out- UNITED STATES PATENTS ward movement thereof, a substantially flat por- Number Name Date tion on the top of sand key engaging the underside 2,525,731 schulze Oct- 10, 1950 Of d -Shaped member, and a cut-out portion 10 

